Judge Finds It Bizarre That Rush Would Touch Actress Onstage

Eryn Jean Norvill never wanted her informal complaint about Geoffrey Rush to be made public and she didn't have a motive to lie about the Oscar winner sexually harassing her, a court has heard.

She was an impressive and brave witness during Rush's defamation trial against the publisher of a Sydney newspaper and she wouldn't put herself through it unless she had "a true story to tell", barrister Tom Blackburn SC told the Federal Court.

Mr Blackburn was on Wednesday giving his closing submissions for Daily Telegraph publisher Nationwide News and journalist Jonathon Moran, who are being sued by Rush over a poster and two articles printed in 2017.

The publications related to a complaint of inappropriate behaviour by Rush toward a co-star - later revealed to be Norvill - during the Sydney Theatre Company production of King Lear.

Rush, 67, has denied the allegations against him and says the Telegraph made him out to be a pervert and a sexual predator.

Nationwide News and Moran are arguing a defence of truth in the judge-alone trial after Norvill - who didn't speak with the journalist for his articles - agreed earlier this year to testify.

Mr Blackburn on Wednesday told Justice Michael Wigney the case was essentially a contest between the evidence of Norvill and Rush.

Some of Norvill's allegations to the court were that Rush made groping gestures and sexual innuendo toward her in rehearsals, that he stroked her lower back backstage and deliberately touched her breast as he grieved over her character's dead body during a performance.

Mr Blackburn said she had not wanted Rush to know about her complaint to the STC and had "desperately, desperately wanted to avoid the limelight".